Plantain Latkes

I thought I was being so original with this idea until I googled it. After reading various opinions and recipes, I decided that I could just use my own latke recipe, but substitute plantain in equal weight.

Plantains are those things in the market that look like large, under-ripe, rotting bananas. They are often referred to as "cooking bananas", and the ones we eat as fruit are "dessert bananas". They have a taste and texture closer to potatoes, especially when they're green or yellow. If you let them ripen to the pink/black stage, they're much sweeter and almost taste like green bananas. The one I used was probably more ripe than I should have. It was difficult to grate. But, the finished product was slightly sweet, which melded fantastically with the onions.

If you've ever made latkes, none of this recipe should be a surprise. And, as usual, I recommend turning on the vent and opening the kitchen window when you fry them.

1 lb ripened plantains (not quite to all-black stage, but more than just a few black spots)

1/2 medium onion, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 Tb flour or matzah cake meal

1 egg, slightly beaten

oil for frying

1. Peel plantain and soak for 5 minutes in cold water. Drain, pat dry, then grate using large holes in grater.

2. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and let sit in fridge for 10-15 minutes. Heat 1/4" oil to 350º in frying pan.

3. Spoon 2 Tb latke mix (a coffee scoop) into oil for each pancake. Fry for 3 minutes on each side, until well browned. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain and keep warm. If needed, add more oil between batches and wait a few minutes for it to heat.

4. Serve by themselves, or with sour cream and preserves. Since they're a tropical fruit, I recommend something like crushed pineapple or a mango chutney.

Difficulty rating  :-0